Machine for lustering silk.



N0. 705,7I6. Patented l'uly 29, |902.'

C. STUART.

MACHINE FR LUSTER'ING 'SILK.

. (Application led Jan. 20, 1902.)- (No Modelr.) 2 Shets--$heet -L WITNESSES.- NI/ENTOR.

V A TTORN K No. 705,7le. Patented luly 29, i902;

C. `STUART.A

MACHINE FDH LUSTERING SILK.

V (Application led Jan. 20, 1902.)

` (llo Modl.) Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES.- V INVENTOR.

g Q H MQW M 'BYMQ-"K/ UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

- CHARLES STUART, OF PATERSON, NEV JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR LUSTERING SILK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,716, dated J' uly 29, 1902.

Application iiled January 20,1902.` Serial No. 90,397. (No model.)

creasing or intensifying the luster of silk;V

andthe object of my improvements are, first, to provide a machine that will give to the silk fiber a permanent and more brilliant lus-A ter, which will be retained and shown in the finished fabric; second, to afford facilities for the treatment of a large quantity of ber at one time; third, to reduce the cost of the treatment ofV silk iiber after itis dyed by the saving in time and labor required in its preparation for manufacturing purposes; fourth,

to produce a machine uponwhich the moistened ber after it is dyed may be held and stretched and prevented from contracting while being submitted to a drying heatin a suitable room or compartment, so that the gradual drying Will exert a strain upon the" fiber until it is dry, after which it will not shrink. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying draw! mgs. A

As the mechanism shown is capable of many modifications which may be made in the construction of the machine Without departing from the essential principles involved in `my invention, I do not Wish to 'limit myself strictly to the specific construction showmand` willhereinafter claim, broadly, a machine embodying such elements as the invention necessarily implies.

In the drawings similar letters of reference refer to like parts throughout both views.

Figure I is a side View of a machine embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a part of the same, showing the arrangement of the wet` skeins of silk fiber and the stretching mechanism which prevents the liber from shrinking While being dried or after it is dried.

The uprights A, braces a, crossbeams B, the long beams C, and the receivingstrips c constitute lthe framework of the machine.

On each side and near the bottom of the uprights A a suitable metallic side plate D is secured `by screws d or otherwise and is reinforced by the inner plate d', which rests on shoulders cut in the uprights to receive it. A series ofshafts I are journaled in bearings in the side pieces D and reinforcing-plates d', one end of each of said shafts having a portion i', reduced in size, forming a shoulder, as'fshown in Fig. 2, the end of the reduced portieri passing through the side plates,

i as shown in said Fig. 2, where it is secured by a washer 'i2 and a split pin i3. The other end of each of said shafts I is squared to fit a crank-lever O or a ratchet-lever O', as indicated by the letter t'. On the operating end of eachgof said shafts I is secured a ratchet Wheel4 G, and a pawl H is secured to the outer sidelplate D-one for each of said ratchet- Wheels G. The top receiving-strips c are provided Withsegmental notches c', adapted to receive and hold the uppermost rods E, each of which is capable of holding a number of skeins of silk or other liber.

I do not Wish to limit myself to rods of any.

particular material; but I prefer to use rods of hickory of other hard Wood, glazed or enam- I`eled, to prevent the liber from catching or sticking. Each of the said rods is provided with circumferential grooves, one near each end thereof and one midway between the ends thereof to prevent the displacement of the links c and the S-shaped links e', which connect the upper and lower rods in vertical series, as shown, when they are iilled with the skeins of silk or other fiber S. The links c connect the ends of the rods, and the links e' connect them at the center.

A chain F or other suitable device is secured to each of the shafts I by hook 114 or otherwise and is provided at its other end with a double S-shaped hook e2, which engages the lowermost of the vertical series of` horizontal rods E.

My stretcllinginaclliue is erected in a close room or compartment which is capable of be ing heated to a temperaturelof 120, After the silk or other liber is takeirf rom the dye bath it is put in a whiz to extract some of the moisture therefrom, and instead of putting it then into a dry-room until dry and then placing it in a small steam-stretcher Where it ICO is enveloped in a bath of live steam, moisteed,

and stretched, I place it on my enameled rods, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, as many skeins as the rods will hold, then stretch it by the manipulation of the crank and ratchetlevers, run the temperature of my close room or compartment from 90o up to about 1200 and leave the skeins there for three or four hours in that stretched condition. The skeins of ber are thus maintained in a stretched condition during the process of' drying, as it is impossible for them to shrink, and when they are removed from my machine they are perfectlydry, do not shrink, and have a permanent and intensified luster which is retained and exhibitedwhen Woven into a fabric. t

With this description of my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a machine for increasing the luster of silk, the combination of a frame, means for suspending therefrom a series of interdependent skeins of wet silk, flexible means connecting each series with a mechanism located in the lower portion of the frame, and which is adapted to stretch the silk, and to maintain it in a stretched condition while being dried to prevent shrinkage, substantially as set forth.

2. In a device for increasing the luster of silk, the combination of a frame, a series of horizontal rods suitably connected and depending from said frame, said rods being adapted to hold skeins of silk stretched between each pair, fiexible means connected to the lower portion of the frame, and to the lowest rod*of each series for stretching the wet skeins and for preventing the contraction of the same while drying, and ratchet means for holding the said flexible means, as

set forth.

3. In a device for increasing the luster of silk after it is dyed, the combination of a frame, horizontal rods snitablyconnected and depending from said frame, said rods being adapted to hold skeinsof wet silk stretched around each pair, .flexible means connecting the lowest rod with a mechanism in the lower portion of theframe, and such a mechanism for stretching the wet skeins and for preventing the contraction thereof while drying, substantially as set forth. l

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES STURT. x

Witnesses:

ALFRED H. SONNTAG, ERNEST C. LEERS. 

